Family Shocked After Police Make Major Mistake, Fail To Investigate Missing Woman For 19 Years

In March 1991, 23-year-old single mother of three, Carey Mae Parker, disappeared without a trace. Her children, all under six, were living with their father and grandfather while she worked to make her life stable. She was last seen on March 17 when she picked up her paycheck and prepared to plan her son, Brian’s birthday party.

The father of her daughter, Leonard, called a friend and constable for Hunt County to report her missing. Unfortunately, the police officer did not file the complaint. When Patricia, Carey Mae’s sister, failed to hear anything about the case for months, she called her own local police to file a report. Patricia got wrapped up caring for her own children and attending college until 2010, when she decided to check in with the investigators.

Patricia was horrified to learn that the report she had filed had been marked as a “welfare check” rather than a missing person, and so it was never investigated. She then called to check on her father’s report, only to find out that they had never filed a report there. Carey Mae’s middle daughter, Brandy, was now 32 years old and has always wondered what happened to her mother so she called to file a new report.

Police were less than receptive to the case, and weren’t even sure where to start the now 19 year old cold case. Brandy hopes that with new attention being drawn to the case, she will be able to find out the truth surrounding her mother’s disappearance.

Today, Carey Mae Parker would be 50 years old. She is 5’10” with blue eyes and brown hair. If you have any information about her disappearance, please call Sgt. Jeff Haines at 903-453-6809 or email him at jhaines@huntcounty.net.